57 Power Wagon

[rjtx667]

Sounds like fun.

Hopefully the bonded title works better for you this go round.

[workgoats]

I do too, but all the other cars in my family need work first.  Rear freeze plug on the grand daughter's Grand Cherokee, oil leak on the Tahoe, transmission on son-in-laws Dodge, Tracy's car totaled and will have to set up brake controller on the next one, lift kit ordered for my Jeep...

Wow, that's all the cars we have!

[SixGun]

Sounds like you need more cars.

[workgoats]

That's all the cars that we have on the road.  I still have a Grand Cherokee parts car, the red Cherokee, the yeller truck and parts of a VW.  And then there's the 57....

The parts car will leave soon, just need a few more parts.

The yeller truck will leave soon, with the front clip going on the red cherokee.

The VW will go with the parts car.

[workgoats]

I'm gathering a few parts but the rules for a bonded title state that the vehicle has to be intact, with basically a drivetrain and a body.  I have submitted my first paperwork to the Regional TxDMV office by mail.  We will see what happens next.

Supposedly they will value the vehicle because it is over 25 years old and, if nothing excites them in a title search, I will have a year to get a bond (minimum is a bond on $4000) and thirty days to submit to the tax office after securing the bond.  Best I can tell, the bond should not cost over $100.

Has anyone been this route before?

[rjtx667]

hmm my bond was not that big. it was like 1500... but the price is about right.

Once you get approval, the bond is easy and getting the title is easy.

You should be good to go.

Also remember that after 3 years the "bond" part which shows on the title can be removed and no longer effects the title.

The mexico ramcharger hits 3 years this coming march.

[workgoats]

I've hit a snag again on this.  They tell me that the truck was never registered in Texas so I have to get it inspected or get a form 68A from an auto theft unit.

Inspection is not gonna happen so the next question is where do I have to go to get a 68A from a auto theft unit.  Is this supposed to be DPS, County, City or what?

Best I can tell we don't have an "auto theft unit" in our county.

Truck did have a 66 farm tag on the front bumper so I may try to get them to search again.  The VIN was originally inside the glove box on a paper tag and stamped into the left front frame rail.  There is a tag on the firewall that is a body number.  I think it is possible that it was registered with the body number.  I'll call them and see what happens.

[workgoats]

i told them it had a 1966 farm tag.  They said that on vehicles that hadn't been registered in the last few years they treat it as being from out of state and I can either get it inspected or take it to an auto theft task force office.  Not one in this county.  She gave me some phone numbers.  None of them service this county.  So, I'm gonna have to load it up and take it somewhere.  Hopefully I can take it to an inspection station and get the same form as for an out of state vehicle.  It just ain't gonna pass the inspection.  If that doesn't work then the closest task force office is Conroe.

[rjtx667]

well thats a pain.

hopefully you can get what you need.

[workgoats]

Anybody know if the NP 420 transmission mounts the same as the NP435?  I am thinking about temporarily installing a 360 magnum in the 57 and would like to use the transmission and transfer case as originally installed.

I have a small block bellhousing and my computer for the magnum does not use the crank sensor.

[ProjectPW]

I think they may be the same 

[workgoats]

Paperwork is all done for the bonded title.  I have a year to get the bond and then 30 days to title without registration.

[rjtx667]

great to hear!!! now you need to get it running again 

[workgoats]

I'm not having much time to work on this but I did buy some wheels.  Having to wait on the lug nuts though, they have to be 3/4" hex to fit in the wheels.

Meantime, my son just bought a Dodge 5.7 hemi to go in his Scrambler.  It had most of a Charger wrapped around it.  I need him to do a build thread.  He's using the D44 front axle from my Red Truck, narrowed to match the D44 rear he got from a scout.

[workgoats]

I am working on this some.  I have secured springs for the front axle and started on new spring mounts.  I'm having trouble finding lug nuts that fit the threads on the front axle but I'm still working on it.

I found out what the rear axle is, maybe.  "Differentials, Identification, Restoration & Repair" by Jim Allen and Randy Lyman has this axle identified in the book.  It's listed as a Chrysler 9.63 Dropout or a RA-65.  It was used in Dodge military trucks from 1946 to the mid to late 70s.  It was strong enough to be used in 1 1/2 ton 6x6 vehicles and there was a front axle version made as well.

Only problem is that they say that it only came with 4.89:1 and 5.83:1.  This axle is 4.11:1.  Randy says it will handle tires up to 37s and that it comes with chrome steel alloy or carbon moly alloy axles that were shot peened for extra strength.  The axle ends are too big to use with 8 lug wheels so it will eventually be for sale.

Once I get axles temporary attached so I can move it around, the body come off and I do a frame rebuild, attaching the 360 for the time being.  Eventually the 383 will find a home here but I can't afford to rebuild it now.